1
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
rigged from the start, his trial was a travesty of justice
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spoof
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect
the big-screen version of the classic sitcom is actually a good-natured travesty of the TV series
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as in to parody
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of
this comedy sketch mindlessly travesties the hard work of relief workers around the world
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Recent Examples of travesty
Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Making them a condition for using a passkey would be a travesty.
—Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 30 Dec. 2024
The New Republic, 22 June 2023
Readers may be tempted to side at one moment with the defenders of Jewish caution and Jewish sentiment, however their instincts are travestied, and soon afterward with Zuckerman’s principled view of the autonomy of art.
—Cynthia Ozick, WSJ, 25 May 2018
See All Example Sentences for travesty
Noun
As of publication, the outlet also confirmed the travesty has killed at least five people and forced 100,000 people from their homes.
—Verb
In 1933, the Marx Brothers mocked dictatorship with Duck Soup; three decades later, Kubrick and writer Terry Southern travestied the Bomb.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for travesty
Noun
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The brand will collaborate with the long-running NBC sketch comedy show on a parody commercial spotlighting the benefits of the new hair care line.—
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Dratch was the last in a group of five SNL alums to debut her Real Housewives tagline parody, spoofing the franchise's tradition of the housewives introducing themselves with a catty one-liner.—
Noun
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While many dismiss this sort of movie fare, and many others brushed off a later-career showing from the Wayans, those who respect the parody’s never-taking-itself-too-seriously nature will find that Marlon Wayans still knew how to make a hilarious spoof into the 2010s and beyond.—
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The sketch, another edition of The Lawrence Welk Show spoofs that first debuted during a 2008 episode, kicked off with Fred Armisen back as Welk.—
Verb
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Most of your editorials, John Brummett, Rex Nelson, and John Deering, are blatant Trump haters, and their smug, condescending echo-chamber mindsets are constantly denigrating, mocking, and disrespecting at least 64 percent of your potential readers.—
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On a later episode of SNL, Madonna mocked O’Connor by ripping up a photo of then-tabloid fixture Joey Buttafuoco.—
Noun
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His angle: joke about the very specific and very absurd elements of cycling, snowboarding, and getting outdoors.—
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While the bit was planned, some questioned whether she had been let in on the joke.—
Verb
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For example, a light lavender lining peeks out from underneath the tool of the Rapunzel dress, which can be paired with a long, dramatic boa to imitate her lustrous mane.—
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Between the lines: The BRT experience aims to imitate the experience of a subway or train.—
Noun
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Fola comes across as the most sympathetic character, and the story, though not a first-person narrative, feels like it’s told from their perspective — which perhaps explains a slight tendency toward caricatures in the portrayals of other characters, especially Healy and Sandra.—
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The caskets were displayed in front of a large banner that showed a caricature replicating antisemitic tropes of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with vampiric teeth and blood running down his face.—
Verb
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What is clear is that the offseason is now over, spring training is underway and the Yankees have done nothing to replace Torres.—
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But descendants felt the admission was a first step; now, what would the Jesuits do about it?—
Noun
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The breakdown of democracy in the United States will not give rise to a classic dictatorship in which elections are a sham and the opposition is locked up, exiled, or killed.—
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The set includes a queen comforter and two matching pillow shams to create a cohesive look in the bedroom.—
Cite this Entry
“Travesty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travesty. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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